The Most Popular Bookstores in Kenya

If you are like me, you are used to getting all your reading delights online and once you are done you are on to the next. I have been in this comfort zone for long until I had to shop for my daughter when we were given the book list for this year. I was to go in blindly, a bookshop is a book shop as long as it’s stocked with the books I needed right? Wrong because there are factors that you have to consider in your choice from amongst the available bookstores in Kenya. This includes proximity, affordability, well-stocked, a variety from different authors and so on.

1. Laxmi Booksellers & Stationers

Laxmi bookshop was recommended to me and I picked it for its affordability. Their prices were cheaper by about 10% and in this economy that is quite something. They had all the books I required for my child and are also up to date with the new curriculum. It is a busy place, especially after the schools reopen. December is the best time to buy if you are looking to buy books for the New Year.

If you studied at the University of Nairobi or you have visited there, then you know the UNES University bookstore. Contrary to what you may think, it is not just for University students. You can find books for Primary, Secondary and University students. The store also offers convenient services since they also have an Online branch. You can also get various uniforms, stationery, and branded items from the shop. The prices are also affordable. The stores open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturdays from 9.00 am to 6.00pm and stay closed on Public Holidays.

The Text Book Centre is one of the oldest bookstores in Kenya having opened its doors in 1964. Anchored on a mission to provide customer-friendly and superior service, the book store stocks books for different age groups, taste and preferences. You will find all the classics that we grew up reading in the store and if you plan to gift someone a book, you’re spoilt for choice as long as you know their taste. The opening hours are Monday – Saturday from 9:00 to 19:00, Sunday and Public Holidays from 10:00 until 18:00.

It is mainly for Christian Literature and you can buy quality gifts for your relatives and friends to add to their collection. Such gifts include mugs, keyrings, Christian magazines and so on. If you have been looking for children Christian literature like myself, then this is the best place to go to. You can also order for the books online through their website.

Prestige bookshop is another established store in the market priding itself as the home of rare books with a wide range of genres to choose from. If you are looking for a gift then this is the ideal place to find one. The stores open from Monday-Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. They close on Sundays and during Public Holidays.

Formerly known as the Magunga Book Store, it is owned by celebrated blogger Magunga. The uniqueness of this Online store is that it majors on books by Writers of African descent. According to their website, they have taken up the same model as that used by The Guardian and Amazon. You can find motivational books, Biographies, poetry, short stories, and fiction. It’s exclusively online so this means that you can get the books at your convenience with delivery services across the country.